Hotelstuff was launched 6 years ago, in 2003, by Lorraine Jenks who, for 15 years, was the Contracts and Purchasing Manager of a major hotel chain. Lorraine witnessed the frustration of scores of new suppliers who would visit her office, trying to get a foot in the door. She found herself regularly taking calls from other establishments seeking advice on standards and specifications recommended for hospitality.

People would phone to ask who the hotel group’s major suppliers were - suppliers whose products had been endorsed and whose products were “preferred” after years of R&D.

Here was a need!

Here was an opportunity to share and network; an opportunity to provide a service to both Suppliers and Buyers; an opportunity to help them find each other at the click of a mouse.

Hotelstuff was born, providing a one-stop Directory of Hospitality Suppliers and a hugely successful Helpdesk. The concept has grown in leaps and bounds and has become a household name; many referrals coming to us by word-of-mouth.

And the best news of all…

GREENSTUFF

After years of being patted on the head and called “The Little Green Queen”, Lorraine has launched the “Greenstuff” section on the Hotelstuff website. At last it is fashionable (thank you Al Gore!) to go “green” and move towards eco-friendly hospitality procurement.

South Africa has a proud heritage of conservation and eco-tourism, but outside of rural lodges, we have lagged behind in responsible procurement. Is our furniture from sustainable forests? Must we use bleached paper products? What’s in our cleaning chemicals and guest amenities? Where do the containers go?

On Greenstuff you will find specific products and services that minimize negative impacts on the environment and human health. Each product is assessed from cradle to grave: raw materials, manufacture, transport, usage and disposal.

Some have international accreditation; some comply with basic “green” requirements. Greenstuff is still taking baby steps – please help us to grow this directory.

We love what we do.

For More information go to www.hotelstuff.co.za